Draft rigging



Cd. 25, 1932. D s BARRQWS 1,884,515

DRAFT RIGGING Filed Sept. 22, 1925 Patented Oct. 25, 1932 STATES PATENT OFFICE DONALD E. BABIROXVS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SYMINGTON COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF MARYLAND "DR-AFT BIGGING Application filed September 22, 1925. Serial No. 57,914.

portion of a swivel butt coupler and prevent ing loss or undesired removal of the swivel- ,ling means thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a pivotal connection between the yoke and coupler members of railway draft rigging in which said connecting means is prevented from loss in a simple, efficient and economical manner without increasing the over-all height or depth of the connected members.

Another object of the invention 1s the provision of a swivel butt coupler formed with a swivel. block pivotally connected tothc stem of said coupler by means of an upright pivot pin, said pivot pin being formedof a length not greater than the depth of the swivel block, whereby said coupler stem and swivel block are adapted for snugly fitting between the forwardly extending arms of a ver ical type yoke with said arms extending above and below said pivot pin. i

A further object of my invention is the provision of a swivel butt coupler and its connection with an associated yoke of the vertical type, wherein the parts of the cou pler stem are pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin held in assembled position by a shouldered portion thereon preventing movement in one direction and a tongue split away from said shouldered portion prevent- There are other objects and advantages of my invention which will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawing illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is defined by the claims:

i ure 1 is a plan view partly in section, illustrating a coupler and yoke embodying the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a. longitudinal vertical substantially central sectional view of the construction illustrated in Figure, 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional viewon the line 33 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the retaining means for the pivot pin, said view being taken on the line 44= of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawlng in detail, similar reference characters designating like parts in the. several views, there is illustrated a swivel butt coupler 1 connected to a yoke 2, preferably of the vertical type, as illustrated, by means of a horizontal type connecting key 3. Said key 3 serves to hold said coupler and yoke in alinement as well as connect the same and is supported, in the usual manner, between the draft or center sills (not shown).

The swivel butt coupler 1 may be considered as formed of a main coupler portion or stem 4 and a swivel block or auxiliary portion 5 pivotally connected thereto by means of a preferably vertical pin 6. This swivel block 5, in the present embodiment, is operatively connected to the yoke 2 for the transmission of forces therebetween by the key 3 beforementioned. For convenience I will designate this auxiliary member 5 as a swivel block, as it is swivelled with respect to the coupler 1, and may be considered as forming a two-part or articulated coupler.

The yoke, in the present instance, is shown as of the vertical type with forwardly extending arms 7 and 8. Said arms are preferably connected by integral web or wall portions 9 and 10 extending on either side of the coupler butt and the key member 3 preferably passes through slots 11 and 12 in said wall portions. Said slots 11 and 12 are formed so that the key 3 contacts therewith for the transmission of draft forces between the coupler and yoke, but they allow said key to move rearwardly when bufling forces are applied so that the rear face of the swivel block transmits butting forces directly to the cushioning mechanism beforementioned.

In the present embodiment, the coupler 1, or more particularly the stem portion 4 thereof, is provided with rearwardly extending substantiall horizontal flanges or web portions 13 an ,14, said )ortions being provided with curved rear aces coaxial with the pivot in 6. The swivel block 5, likewise, is provi ed with forwardly extending flange or web portions 15, 16 and 17 which closely interengage the web portions 13 and 14 of the coupler and form pockets 18 and 19 therebetween for 0 eratively engaging the flanges or webs 13 an 14 of the coupler. These pockets 18 and 19 are preferably formed with bearing surfaces coaxial with the pivot member 6 so that they serve for pivotal engagement wlith the web portions 13 and 14 of the cou- The flanges 15 and 17 on the swivel block are likewise provided with coaxial edge portions cooperating with correspondingly curved flanges 20' and 21 on the coupler. The central flange 16 on the swivel block is intersected by a way or slot for the key member 3 and is likewise formed with coaxially curved faces 22 and 23 for cooperation with the correspondingly curved pocket portions 24 and 25 on the coupler. The articulated connection of the member 5 is desirably formed unsymmetrical to prevent incorrect assembly, as by discontinuing one of the substantially arallel or horizontal surfaces of one of the anges short of the other and making the engaging portions of the other member to nest therewith. For example, the upper flange portion, or one of the portions of the central flange 16, is desirably beveled or tapered, as indicated at 22, and the pocket 1 portion 24 formed to correspond, so as to revent assembly of the coupler 1 and swivel lock 5 with the flange 17 having the special aperture 29 uppermost instead of at the bottom. That portion of the swivel block rearwardly of the pivot pin 6 may be cored out, as indicated at 26, to decrease the weight thereof.

From a consideration of Figure 2 particularly, it will be apparent that the pivot pin 6 is intersected or cut partly in half by a slot or notch for the key member 3. Although the engagement of said key member in said slot would tend to prevent removal of the pivot pin when the key was in place, yet said construction does not normally serve for this said pivot pin comprise a shouldered portion 27 on said pin and a tongue 28 split away from said shouldered portion. The manner of forming these connecting means preferably comprises the cutting or milling away of a segment of the lower portion of the pin to form said shouldered portion 27. The swivel block and con ler stem, with the exception of the lower flange or web 17 of said swivel block, are formed with registering apertures, of suitable size, for receiving said pivot. The lower flange 17 of said swivel block, however, is preferably formed with a partially round and partially squared opening 29, as shown most clearly in Figures 2 and 4, so that when the pivot pin is inserted in place after assembly of the coupler and swivel block, but before assembly with the yoke and key, the shoulder 27, upon insertion of the pin 6 in place, will engage the edge 30 of the aperture 29 and hold said pin in assembled relation or prevent further downward movement thereof.

After said pin is placed in position, as shown in Figure 2, the tongue 28 which initially may extend axially with respect to the pin, having been formed by a saw cut 31 or in any other desired manner on the flat side of the pin below the shoulder 27, preferably parallel with the base of the segmental portion cutout to form the shoulder 27, may be bent to the diagonal position indicated in Figure 2 where it will engage the adjacent portion of the flange 17 of the swivel block and prevent undesired removal or loss of the pivot pin 6. After assembly of said coupler and swivel block by insertion and locking in place of the pivot pin 6, said members may be inserted between the arms 7 and 8 of said yoke 2 with said arms extending, respectively, above and below said pivot pin, as shown most clearly in Figure 2, and with the key slots therethrough registering with the corresponding slots 11 and 12 in the webs 9 and 10 of the yoke 2. The key 3 may then be inserted in place for su porting said members and providin." for t e transmission of draft forces therebetween.

It will be apparent that when the members are assembled, as shown in the drawing, the forwardly extendin arms 7 and 8 of the voke will embrace the pivot pin 6 therebetween and the swivel portion of the coupler, generally, the forwardly extending portions of the webs 9 and 10 serving to limit swivel motion be tween the coupler and yoke. Although said forwardly extending arms 7 and 8 of the yoke would normally tend to prevent undesired removal or loss of the pin 6, and especially the upper portion if the pin should break at the notch as well as the arrangement of said pin 6 with respect to the key 3, yet the engagement of the shouldered portion 27 with the flange 17 of the swivel block 5 on the one hand, and the bent out tongue portion 28 adjacent said shouldered portion 27 with said flange 17 on the other hand, not only prevent loss or undesired removal of said pin 6 after assembly, but allow substantially no lost motion between said pin and associated block and make it possible to assemble the coupler and swivel block without relying on the cooperation with the key 3 or the yoke 2 and without increasing to the slightest degree the over-all height or depth of the coupler butt or swivel block.

Although, in the present preferred embodiment of my invention, the retaining means for the pivot pin 6 is provided on the lower end of said pin to the rear or inner side thereof, yet it is obvious that I do not wish to be restricted to such a construction as, if desired, the pin may be inserted from the bottom instead of from the top of the swivel block 5 and the retaining means may be provided on the top of the pin and any desired portion thereof, except the front side, with the flange or web of the swivel block correspondingly formed. The reason why it is not preferred to form the retaining means on the front or outer side of the pivot pin 6, is that the greatest stress between said swivel block 5 and pivot pin 6 occurs along the outer or front surface of said pin, so that it is not advisable decrease the bearing area along said surface.

The construction heretofore disclosed provides, primarily, for horizontal angling between the coupler and yoke. It will be clear, however, that vertical angling of the coupler is permitted about the key 3, by the clearance in the key slots and between the swivel block 5 and arms 7 and 8 of the yoke, the clearance preferably being greater adjacent the front ends of said arms, as by flaring or sloping the inner surfaces of said arms outwardly from approximately the innermost position of the rear face of the block on buff, as illustrated in Fig. 2, to efficiently provide for such angling. Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. 'In a draft rigging, the combination with a yoke of the vertical type, of a coupler with a stem portion extending between the arms of the yoke, said stem portion having a swivel block pivotally connected thereto by means of a vertical pin, said pin having one side flattened adjacent its lower end to provide a shoulder thereabove engaging the swivel block for preventing movement in one direction and a tongue formed by aslot substantially parallel to said flattenedside for preventing movement in the other direction.

2. In a draft rigging, the combination with a yoke, of the vertical type, of a coupler with a stem portion extending between the arms of the yoke, said stem portion having a swivel block pivotally connected thereto by means of an upright pin, said pin being formed with retaining means for holding the same in place, comprising a flat portion adjacent the lower end of the pin, a shoulder thereabove, and a flat tongue flaring outwardly adjacent said shoulder with a portion of the swivel block engaged therebetween, that portion of the swivel block engaged by said tongue being flat, whereby turning of the pin is prevented.

3. In a draft rigging, the combination with a yoke of the vertical type, of a coupler with a stem portion extending between the arms of the yoke, a swivel block pivotally connected to said stem portion by means of a pin, said pin being formed with retaining means at its lower end comprising a shouldered portion thereon for preventing movement in one direction, and a fiat tongue split away from the shouldered portion for preventing movement in the other direction.

4. In a draft rigging, the combination with a vertical yoke, of a coupler with a stem portion extending between the arms thereof, a swivel block pivotally connected with respect to said stem portion by means of an upright pin, said pin being so arranged with respect to the coupler and yoke that the arms of said yoke extend, respectively, above and below the same, said pin being provided with a shouldered portion adjacent its lower end for preventing downward movement, and a flat tongue split away from the shouldered portion for preventing upward movement, that portion of the swivel block engaged by the tongue being correspondingly flattened.

5. In a draft rigging, the combination with a yoke of the vertical type, of a coupler with a stem portion extending between the arms thereof, a swivel block pivotally connected to said stem portion by means of a vertical pin, said pin being provided with means for re taining the same in place, said means comprising a shouldered portion thereon adjacent its lower end preventing downward movement by engagement with the swivel block, that portion of the pin below said shoulder being reduced in section by providing a flat side, and a tongue split away from said fiat side for preventing upward movement by engagement with an adjacent flat portion of said swivel block, and connecting means between the coupler and yoke, comprising a key passing through slots in portions of the yoke and intersecting the registering portions of the coupler, swivel block and pin.

6. A swivel butt coupler comprising a stem portion anda swivel block with intercalated anges pivotally connected by means of an upright pivot pin, and means for retaining said pin in place comprising a flat side adj acent the lower end of said pin providing a. shoulder thereabove extending over the lower flange of the swivel block, and a tongue split away from said flat side whereby a portion of said lower flange is embraced between said shoulder and tongue. r

7 A swivel butt coupler comprising a stem portion and a swivel block pivotally connected thereto by means of an upright pivot pin, and means for retaining said pin in place, comprising engaging shoulders on the pin and block adjacent one end to prevent movement of the pin in one direction, and a flat ton e split away from that portion of the pin eyond the shoulder thereon and the block shoulder adjacent said end to prevent movement of the pin in the opposite direction.

8. In a draft rigging, in combination with a yoke, an articulated coupler stem comprising members with intercalated flanges fitting between the arms of said yoke, means pivotally connecting the parts of said stem, and means formed on said pivotal means for interlocking the same directly to a single flange of one of the parts of said stem against turning and axial movement in either direction.

9. A swivel butt coupler comprising a stem portion with a pair of rearwardly extending apertured flanges at the rear end thereof, a swivel block with three forwardly extending flanges intercalated with the flanges on the coupler stem and formed with apertures registering with the stem flange apertures, and pivotal means extending through said apertures for connecting said coupler stem and swivel block, the lower end portion of said pin being different in section from the remainder and normally interlocked in the aperture in the lower flange of the swivel block, which is formed to correspond, to prevent undesired removal of said pin, the intermediate flange of the swivel block being beveled on one of its faces and the pocket between the coupler stem flanges being correspondingly formed to prevent assembly of the parts with the lower swivel block flange upward. r

10. A swivel butt coupler comprising a stem portion, an associated member with face adapted to transmit bufling forces to associated cushioning mechanism, said stem and member having intercalated flanges formed with re istering apertures, a pin extending throng said apertures for articulatingly connectlng said stem and member, a portion of said pin being adapted to engage a portion of one of the flanges formed on said member, said engagement being adapted to prevent the assembly of said pin except in one direction, one of the intercalated flanges of one of said members having upper and lower surfaces substantially parallel and one discontinued short of the other and said flange normally nesting ,in a correspondingly formed portion of the other member to prevent assembly of said articulated member and stem with the lower flange of the member positioned upward thereby preventing placing of the pin.

11. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a yoke having vertically spaced upper and lower arms connected by side walls adjacent their front ends, a coupler with a stem extending between said arms and walls, and a normally horizontal key extending through registering slots in said walls and stem for connecting said coupler and yoke, said slots being extended rearwardly of the key to permit rearward movement of the coupler with respect to said yoke on buff, the upper and lower arms of said yoke above and below said stem having inner faces diverging forwardly from positions rearwardly of the normal position of the rear end of said stem to provide clearance for vertical angling of said coupler on said key.

12. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a yoke having top and bottom walls with connecting side walls, a coupler with a stem portion extending between said walls, a swivel block pivotally connected to said stem portion for horizontal angling therebetween, and provided with portions extending between the stem portion and top and bottom walls of said yoke, said yoke side walls lying on either side of said coupler stem and disposed close to the sides of the swivel block, and a normally horizontal key extending through registering slots in said side walls, coupler stem and swivel block for F 1 connecting said coupler and yoke, the yoke slots being extended rcarwardly of the key to permit rearward movement of the coupler with respect to said yoke on bufl', the inner surfaces of the top and bottom walls of said yoke above and below said swivel block diverging forwardly from points rearwardly of the plane of the rear face of said block when in normal position to provide clearance between the spaced portions of the swivel block and the arms of the yoke to allow for vertical angling of said coupler about the connecting key, whereby angling of the coupler in two planes is provided for.

13. In railway draft rigging, in combina- 3" tion, a yoke having upper and lower walls connected by side walls, a coupler with a shank, and a swivel block connected to said shank for horizontal angling, thereby providing a two-part coupler stem, said swivel block being provided with portions extending between the shank and said upper and lower yoke walls respectively, and horizontally extending key means connecting said coupler stem to said yoke and adapted to move rearwardly in elongated slots in the side walls of said yoke, whereby said stem and yoke move together on draft while the stem moves independently of the'yoke on buff, the inner surfaces of the upper and lower walls of said yoke above and below said block diverging forwardly from approximately the, innermost position of the block on bufi to provide for vertical angling of the coupler on said key means, whereby said coupler is adapted for angling in two planes with respect to said yoke.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

DONALD S. BARROWS. 

